The Nigerian Association of Master Bakers and Caterers declared on February 14 that unless the Federal Government complies with the 2020 agreement, the association will launch a statewide walkout on February 27. Additionally, all forms of federal, state, and local government taxes on the bakery sector were to be temporarily suspended.
“The Association of Master Bakers and Caterers of Nigeria have critically accessed the state of our business operation and, as a result, demand the liberalization of flour and sugar importation, reduction or total removal of import duties on major baking materials such as flour, sugar, butter, yeast, etc. as applicable to other commodities as have recently been done by the Federal Government and provision of concessionary forex exchange to flour millers and other stakeholders as well as reduction of tariff on imported wheat and sugar,” stated Mansur Umar, the National President of AMBCON.
In addition, the group demanded other measures that will facilitate commercial operations in the nation, such as the establishment of a price control and monitoring committee, as permitted by the recently updated constitution.
Edmund Egbuji, the association’s interim national president, advised all members under the banner of the Supreme Bakers and Confectioners Association of Nigeria on Monday inform the public that the association will not be will not be participating in a nationwide withdrawal of services, or strike, as suggested by certain bakers associations in the nation especially at a times when Nigerians are going through a lot.
Given the nation’s current state of food crisis and scarcity, most bakers believe it to be disloyal. Striking will never be an option; instead, the government should organize a roundtable conversation to lessen the impact of the situation of food scarcity through its respective ministries.
“Everyone who belongs to the Supreme Bakers Association is now instructed to focus on providing food for the country, since any other course of action will exacerbate the suffering of the already overburdened populace.”